Open the outdoor shower

The procedure

1. Look before you open. Check the valve body, the shower arm and any exposed pipe for splits, bulges or green and white crust.
2. Close the low-point drains. Many outdoor showers have a drain cap or a small valve at the bottom of the pipe that was opened last fall. Close it.
3. Open the supply slowly. Turn on the indoor shutoff that feeds the shower a little at a time while someone watches the shower wall.
4. Run cold, then hot. Run each side alone. A leak that only shows on one side points at that valve.
5. Test the drain. Pour a bucket on the floor. Water should leave in a minute or two. Pooling means sand has packed the drain or gravel bed.
6. Clear the sand. Lift the floor slats if they come up and rake out sand. See RS-2.
7. Plumber's step: a cracked valve or a split pipe inside the wall needs a licensed plumber; a mixing valve on a shower is part of the water system and is replaced under permit.

Why do outdoor showers crack over winter?

Water left in the valve or in a low dip of pipe freezes and expands. Frost-free style valves only work if the hose or head is off and the pipe slopes to drain. CD-4 covers closing it properly.

What does salt air do to the shower?

Salt speeds corrosion of metal handles, screws and valve bodies, and mixed metals corrode faster where they touch. RF-2 covers which parts to watch.

Questions owners ask

Does an outdoor shower need hot water?

No, but many shore houses have it. A hot supply adds a valve that can freeze, so it needs the same closing care.

Where does outdoor shower water go?

Often into a gravel bed or a drain line. Rules differ by town, so ask the local construction office before changing it.

Why does the shower drip after opening?

A washer or cartridge may have dried out over winter. If it keeps dripping after a day, have it repaired.